Serial winner John Obi Mikel has tasted success and he is hungry for more.

The former Chelsea midfielder has won the full set of medals at club level including the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup.

But the experienced midfielder is not at Middlesbrough to cruise. He wants to win more, starting with promotion.

“I’ve achieved a lot in my career and I’ve been very, very fortunate but I am still hungry and ambitious to achieve more,” he insisted after making his Boro debut in the 1-1 FA Cup draw with Newport County.

“I always want to win more. I want to make sure I can help this team get promoted and then we will go from there.

“I will give everything. I will give my all to this team and this club and to the fans to make sure that come the end of the season we are all very happy and that we get promoted.”

The former Chelsea midfielder was thrown straight into action after joining as a free agent on Thursday.

John Obi Mikel (Image: Simon Moore/Focus Images Ltd)

He hasn’t played since scoring for a Tianjin Teda in a 4-2 defeat at the end of October so his inclusion from the off was unexpected.

“I haven’t played for three months so it was a surprise when the manager said I was starting,” said Mikel, at Boro on a short term deal.

“I still have plenty of life in my legs. It was a good run out, a good test for me. You get your fitness back by playing not by training so I was glad to be out there today.

“I was just happy to get some minutes, feel the ball and smell the grass again, that was important for me.

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“I got a very good reception from the fans and that was very important for me. They showed me a lot of love and hopefully I can repay them with good performances week in, week out and hopefully we can get promoted at the end of this season.”

The Nigerian international, 31, had interest from top flight Crystal Palace, Championship sides Aston Villa and Derby plus European outfits Roma and Wolfsburg but opted for Boro after being persuaded by Tony Pulis it was the right move.

“I’m very happy to be here in a Middlesbrough shirt,” he said after playing the first hour at the Riverside.

“The manager spoke to me and he’s a really nice guy. I had a good chat with him and he convinced me this would be the best place for me.

John Obi Mikel battles with Padraig Amond on his Boro debut against Newport

“I’ve been here a few days now and I am loving it. It is a family club. They look after you, they are lovely guys. The dressing room is amazing, the players are amazing, the staff are very welcoming, the training ground is great... everybody has made me feel at home and sometimes that is more important than just playing football.”

Mikel looked assured throughout and there were some encouraging glimpses of obvious quality. He wanted the ball and was neat and tidy to recycle possession in the Boro half and he showed a fine range of well weighted forward passes.

Boro dominated possession for long spells and led through a Dani Ayala but were pegged back in a furious finale from Newport.